Southeast Lauderdale started off Division 5-3A play on a winning note Tuesday night downing Choctaw Central 11-5.

    Denisha Knight led the Tigers with a single, triple and home run, while adding three RBIs. Miranda Chatham went 2-for-3 with a double and Taylor Powell had two doubles on the night. Katie Dawson added two singles and Nancy Williams had a triple.

    Powell also got the win on the mound for SEL.

    Madison Billy, Raven Comby, Lake Anderson and Hannah Hickman all had two singles apiece for the Warriors.

    Southeast had 13 hits and six errors, while Choctaw pounded out 10 hits and had four errors.

    The Tigers (3-7, 1-0) will take on Northeast Lauderdale at Northeast Park Thursday in a makeup game.

— Daniel Rigdon

Meridian    6

Columbus    5

    Meridian scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh Tuesday to edge visiting Columbus at Northeast Park.

    The Falcons scored two in the third and one in the fourth to tie the game after Meridian opened with a run in the first and two in the third. After the Wildcats scored one in the fifth to regain the lead, Columbus answered with two in the top half of the sixth.

    Meme Huff earned the win for Meridian, which got three hits from Timorie Edmonds and two from Olivia Taylor. Allijah Echols tripled for the Wildcats, who travel to Quitman on Saturday.

— Jamie Wachter

Newton County    7

Louisville    6

    The Cougars held off a late Wildcat rally at home Tuesday to grab their first region win.

    Newton County (11-2, 1-0 in division) scored two in the first to tie the game and then scored three in the third and two in the fifth to seize control. Louisville, though, answered with three in the sixth and one in the seventh before the Cougars escaped with the win. Meagan Higginbotham improved to 8-2 with the win for Newton County.

    Leading the Cougars’ offense was Katie Brackeen and Jessica Parker, each with three hits. Brackeen doubled and scored three times, while Parker tripled and drove in a pair. Shelby Bishop had two hits, one of which was a double, and scored twice, while Emily Davis tripled and Savannah Gates had two hits.

— Jamie Wachter

PREP SOCCER

Lamar    3

Laurel Christian    0

    In a rematch of last year’s state championship game, the host Raiders used a big first half to blank Laurel Christian on Tuesday at Northeast Park.

    Lamar got first-half goals from Catherine Hessler (2) and Lindley Williams. Anna Arrington, Mary Love Hodge and Rachel Lee all notched assists as Lamar improved to 9-3.

    Meanwhile, Makenzie Cobb pitched a shutout in goal with an assist to defensive stalwarts Allison Justive, Merrick Watkins, Miller Watkins and Claire Miller.

    The Raiders face Central Hinds on Tuesday.

— Jamie Wachter